


only seventy years late

by asianradishhh



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, anyway first fic i posted on here whoo, au where bucky didnt die on the train, because im just that sad, bruce only gets like a couple lines, imagine like a role swap between bucky and peggy, steve travels back in time in endgame but not for peggy, we were ROBBED
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23521165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asianradishhh/pseuds/asianradishhh
Summary: The year was 1948, and the war was finally over. They had won. But winning has never been so dear without Steve at his side, so one day when he saw the man in his dreams again… Bucky has never had a much more miraculous reunion than that day he got to see that golden-haired, diamond-eyed captain again. His captain.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	only seventy years late

“I’m gonna need a rain check on that dance.”

Bucky already had tears forming, glazing his eyes. He knew the boundaries that Steve would cross in order to save others; he knows, because he had been one of those people he’s saved before. Several days- no,  _ weeks  _ ago, he had almost fallen off of a moving train whilst on a mission to capture the infamous HYDRA scientist, Doctor Arnim Zola. He barely survived, with Steve being the super soldier he is as he pulled him back into the train. Easily, he could recall that exact moment.

His hands were already slipping from the steel railing after a HYDRA soldier had unfortunately blasted him out of the broken wall, which led into a snow-covered cliffside. If he’d fallen in, there was no chance he would’ve survived. Steve hastily grabbed Bucky’s cold hands, pulled him from the hanging wall, and both collapsed onto the freight car ground. Buck had been desperately trying to catch quick breaths in his bitter-cold lungs as he was chest-to-chest with the other.

“I thought I was done for.” Bucky had gasped out.

“Yeah, me too.” Steve rolled his head back in exhaustion and attempted to steady his breathing as well.

Buck used his arms to push himself up immediately after realizing where they were, and remembering what their mission was in the first place. Zola was only in the next few cars and they had a goal to reach. After all, they were the Howling Commandos, absolutely unstoppable.

But that was then. Bucky knew it should’ve been him in that plane, not Steve. He couldn’t bear to live a life without his best friend, his love of his life, his entire world. The only good in his life, the only thing keeping him from leaving this world. And it  _ had  _ to be the only one he cared about, who’s leaving him right now. He wished he could’ve had more time; he wished  _ they  _ could’ve had more time. Only about thirty minutes ago did Bucky get the chance to actually love Steve. Not that he hasn’t before, oh god no. He’s loved him his whole life, and he always knew it. But just half an hour ago, Colonel Phillips was driving Steve over to the plane’s takeoff as Buck rode along in the passenger’s seat. He was about to take his chance, his chance to infiltrate the plane.

“Wait,” Bucky called after him before the other left, and when Phillips was distracted.

He kissed Steve.

It felt like that was his sole purpose in life; to love this man, his closest friend since they were children. Truly a pure moment of bliss and without worry. He was in love with Steven Rogers before Captain America had become a thing, but that would only be his downfall. Steve was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that was exactly why he would fall apart if anything would have happened to him. But now, Steve was already on the plane and there was no other way to save New York at this point. Thousands of good people were going to die, but if Buck was being honest, he wouldn’t be tearing up right now if he was the one on the plane instead of Steve. He couldn’t let the world lose a hero as beautifully hearted as him. Nobody needed Bucky as much as him, but everybody needed a Steve; a Captain America, and no one can afford to lose him. Especially Barnes.

“Alright… Saturday next week, at our place.”

“You got it.”

“Eight o’ clock sharp. Do not be late; you hear me, punk?”

The plane was starting to increase in speed quickly, and anyone in the room could notice it. There was nobody else with Barnes; it was only the speaker, the mic, and the two men. Steve had placed his open compass onto the surface to his left. Only the man in military uniform stared back at him with that beautiful smile of his. The man who he had dreamt about since age ten; though it felt way longer than that.

“You know, I still don’t know how to dance.”

Bucky huffed out a sad chuckle. “I’ll show you how, just be there.”

“We’ll listen to something slow.”

There was no time. The line would cut off at any second, and Buck was never going to be ready for it.

“I know, I know. I’ll show you, I promise. As long as you’re next to me by eight.”

“I’ll be there,” Steve reassured him. “Just don’t do anything stupid ‘til I get back.”

Now Bucky felt the burning heat of a single tear streaming down his left cheek, and he could barely keep the rest of his tears from spilling out. Exactly how it used to be when they were children, except it was mostly Steve. He was always the weak one. But only one time did Bucky’s tough demeanor slip out, and it was the first time he’d ever cried in front of the boy he liked. Steve hugged him until the sun dawned over their spot over on the hill that wasn’t too far away from where their momma’s lived. Gold flecks sparkled across the smaller boy's face, emphasizing his light freckles as Buck only hung his head on his knees. Uncomfortable, but always better than crying straight in front of Steve.

“How can I?” He bore a lopsided smile, lips quivering as if they were going to fall right off. “You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

“A jerk like you should know how to dance.”

Bucky shushed his red-bitten lips and sealed them into a thin line.

“I’d hate to step on your-”

And that was the end of it. Only static remained on the other end of the radio. That was it.

“Steve?” His voice was breaking. He could barely say his name without cracking. “… Stevie?”

The others had already left the room, giving him the time he needed. Bucky silently sobbed at the station, alone and not knowing what to do. He ran his hands through his short, coffee-brown hair as his tears fell unwillingly onto the computer. Steve was gone, and he felt like he was starting to lose a part of himself, too.

Steve was a hero. But most importantly, he was Bucky’s, and he would belong to him only.

Seventy years later, Barnes was old and grey now. He had a condition where he would forget everything; well,  _ almost  _ everything. He has never forgotten about the love of his life, even when he had shown up one day to visit him in the hospital. Steve still appeared as beautiful as he did all those years ago, and Buck could’ve never forgotten his beauty no matter how many times he tried. The air was even, his breathing steady. There were slight winds that adjusted the curtains movements, gently whispering specks of dust into the room. They were both silent for countless minutes, and Bucky looked over to the photographs on his bedside.

“I have lived a life.” He spoke wearily. “My only regret is that you didn’t get to live yours.”

Steve could only give him the smallest and saddest grin, then shot his eyes towards the floor. He knew that his soulmate wasn’t the same as he was in 1945. Buck regretted him not being able to live the life he longed for, and Steve regretted that as well; god, he wished everyday he could go back in time and spend the rest of his life with this man. A time where they could finally go home, to be able to easily fall in love again without the war weighing them down. Where they would be free to do what they weren’t able to; lace their hands together, press delicate kisses on each other’s skin, have their dance to the sweet sounds of the war’s end. Hell, he was supposed to die on that plane, but he hadn’t gotten so lucky. If there was a way;  _ any  _ way he could live that life he missed, he would take it. He would try his damnedest to get that opportunity back; just as he had tried to potentially survive the crash, because he damn well knew he would never forgive himself if he had left his Bucky alone in the world.

He had stopped by the Smithsonian before visiting him. There were honorable mentions of James Buchanan Barnes, with an audio recording playing for the station.

_ “Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield.” _

And of course, nobody can know about their relationship. It was dishonorable, it was illegal, and it was deemed wrong at the time. They both knew it, but it would and could never feel wrong to either of them. Buck had even urged Steve to try to make it work with Agent Peggy Carter, but after the men had shared their first kiss on that vehicle, they  _ knew  _ it was just impossible. They had to accept that it was meant to be; even after Steve was already done for.

In the next room, there was a video recording of Peggy Carter discussing the lives that had been saved when Steve forced the HYDRA plane into the ice. “He saved over a thousand men. Including the man who would become my husband.”

Although, he didn’t hold much interest. Steve held a compass in his hands and opened it, revealing a faded photo of his best friend. He was still in his military uniform, wearing an alluring smile along with it. It was still the same photo since the day he went into ice seventy years ago. Was happy to have it, is happier that he still does. He couldn’t help but to fall in love but he didn’t have to fall so hard; maybe it would’ve hurt less, visiting him at the hospital. An unmarried war veteran without children. A man that most friends and family would forget or have forgotten about, but then why else would Steve be here? He’s here to remember. Nothing to lose except for Bucky.

Years passed, and Buck had gone right before the Avengers had their fallout. There was a funeral, there were tears, there were speeches. Nat had visited Steve at the church; she thought he could’ve used some company. But now the years were passing like seconds, and half of the universe’s population dropped like dead flies. It was a long five years until their team managed to bring all of them back once again. Steve knew that things wouldn’t ever be the same after bringing everybody back, but he didn’t mind. All he cared about right now was to replace the stones at the exact time they were taken, along with  Mjölnir.

“I can come with you, you know.” Sam offered Steve.

“You’re a good man, Sam. But this one’s on me.”

He made his way towards the simplified time machine with the gauntlet under his right arm and wielded Mjölnir in his left hand.

“How long will this take?” Steve heard Sam ask Bruce.

“For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds.”

He disappeared through the machine as Sam stared ahead.

“Coming back in 5…”

“4…”

“3…”

“2…”

“1…”

…

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know… he flew right by his time stamp.”

Bruce tinkered with a couple buttons and switches on the machine, both men desperate to bring Steve back.

“Get him back.”

“I’m trying.”

“Get him the hell back.”

“Hey, I said I’m trying.”

Sam could feel himself beginning to sweat, then turned his head over to cool off until he spotted… someone. Somebody was sitting on a bench nearby, staring into the lulled waters. He made his way towards the mysterious being, realization slowly settling in his mind.

Steve missed his time stamp, but it wasn’t an accident. Then he was standing right next to the old man that was supposedly the Captain he had admired so much.

“Cap?” Sam could never be too sure.

“Hi, Sam.” It was an answer so simple and Steve looked over to the other man before him, giving him a slight smile.

“So, did something go wrong or did something go right?”

The two only exchanged a couple sentences, before Steve brought over the shield of a man from a younger lifetime. It was for Sam, and only Sam.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.” Sam held out his hand to shake his, only to feel his hand being engulfed from the warmth of Steve’s.

“That’s why it’s yours.” They both smiled sadly, but they were happy.

Only about a second later, Sam flashed a smirk and thought he ought to ask. “You wanna tell me about him?”

Steve only sighed happily and stared into the distance again. “No. No, I don’t think I will.”

The year was 1948, and the war was finally over. They had won. But winning has never been so dear without Steve at his side, so one day when he saw the man in his dreams again… Bucky has never had a much more miraculous reunion than that day he got to see that golden-haired, diamond-eyed captain again. His captain. Buck could barely believe it; how was this man able to come back from the dead for him? But they had no need to worry about that right now, because now they were able to have that dance together, just like he said they would. The melodic, warm rhythm of music tickled their ears as “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” continued playing throughout the room of their home, in Brooklyn. They slowly moved around, hand in hand, only focusing on their moment with a happy smile spread across Bucky’s face. Their heads turned to face one another, and they did what they hadn’t done in years. Their lips met each other, the kiss filled with nothing but love and home. Eyes were closed, the men only relying on the warmth and comfort of their gentle intimacy.

_ Kiss me once and kiss me twice then kiss me once again. _

This, right here, was what victory tasted like. This was what home felt like. This was what love sounded like. And in Brooklyn, New York? Their lives were beautiful. Just like how Steve had told Sam.

Steven Grant Rogers was finally able to call James Buchanan Barnes his own. It only took seventy years for it to happen.

_ It’s been a long, long time. _

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this fic is so short! :-( but it's my first time posting on ao3, so hopefully it wasn't that bad. thank you for reading! :-)


End file.
